Black Eyes, Blue Tears
by Black Goddess
Summary: Narcissa is coming to the end of her tether with Lucius's violent behaviour. Now finished!
1. A mistake

Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters in this fic. They belong to JK Rowling. This fic was inspired by, and named after, the Shania Twain song Black Eyes, blue tears, so the title belongs to her. This part contains no lyrics (though I can't promise for the rest of it!).  
  
Narcissa is reaching the end of her tether with Lucius's violent behaviour. I don't know how to rate things with this American system (grin) but I've rated it R for domestic violence and not-very-explicit sex. Anyone with suggestions, put them in your REVIEW!  
  
Black eyes, blue tears  
By the Black Goddess  
  
Narcissa Malfoy sat quietly in her armchair by the fire, reading a copy of Witch Weekly. She appeared to be completely at ease and thoroughly enjoying her magazine, but a careful observer would notice that she jumped at the slightest noise, and paused regularly to listen to the sounds in the house around her. Not that there were many. Even though her only child Draco was at home for the holidays, the house was almost as silent as when he was away. Only the very faint sound of a radio floating out of an open window three floors above her gave any indication that anyone else was at home. She did not know where her husband was. She had long ago learnt not to ask.  
She returned guiltily to her magazine, but her time alone was to be short-lived. Suddenly she heard her husband's voice echoing around the dark corridors of Malfoy Manor.  
"Narcissa? Where are you?"  
Hastily shoving her magazine under the cushions of the armchair she had been sitting on, Narcissa called  
"In the parlour Lucius!" She hastily grabbed her current novel from the table by her side, removed the bookmark and placed it carelessly on the arm of her chair as she rose to greet her husband. As she did so, she realised that the soft sound of the radio drifting from upstairs had stopped. She felt a quick pang, but quickly arranged her features into a welcoming smile for her husband. The smile became slightly fixed when she saw the expression on Lucius's face.  
"Hello Lucius! How are you?" she said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek as was their custom.   
"What are you doing in here?" he said sharply. Narcissa's heart sank. She hoped Draco would stay out of the way.  
"Just reading dear. You know this is my favourite room" Lucius looked around suspiciously, and spotted a corner of the magazine poking out from the cushions where Narcissa had tried to hide it.  
"What is this?" he asked in a tone which sent an icy tingle of fear down Narcissa's spine.   
"Just a magazine dear" she said calmly, knowing that nothing she said now would do any good.  
Lucius held the magazine at arms length and looked from it to his wife with an expression of disgust and contempt on his face.  
"You know I will not have this rag in the house, Narcissa"  
"Yes Lucius" she said quietly. Had the stair creaked then?  
"Then why do you persist in defying me?" snapped Lucius. His voice struck Narcissa like a whip, and she flinched. This seemed to make Lucius even angrier.  
"I do not ask much of you Narcissa! This is filth, mere rumours and cheap scandal, and it disgraces the name of Malfoy for you to even glance at it, let alone buy it!"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Do you want to let me down?" screamed Lucius. Narcissa hoped Draco couldn't hear.  
"No, but.."  
"There are no buts! I say you will not read this filth, and what I say goes!" Lucius hurled the magazine into the fire and advanced on his shaking wife.  
"I have told you before, and it seems I must tell you again" he snarled. "I will not tolerate this sort of behaviour from you!" His hand shot out and struck Narcissa across the face, leaving a red mark of it's imprint across her face.  
"Do you understand me?" he hissed. Narcissa tried to speak, but what came out was a sort of whimper. She could feel a trickle of blood sliding down her chin where Lucius' blow had split her lip.  
"Do you understand me?" he screamed. Suddenly he was punching her, slapping her. Narcissa was helpless against his assault, as she had been so many times before. She fell to the floor sobbing and Lucius continued to beat her, kicking her in the ribs.  
"I'm sorry" she gasped "Please stop, please Lucius! Please stop"  
Suddenly the rain of blows stopped. Lucius was searching the room, tearing it apart looking for anything else that might be hidden there that he might disapprove of. Finding nothing, he turned on his wife with a snarl.  
"Get up woman! Are you some sort of coward, who can't even stand a little bit of pain? Clean yourself up and get ready for company. You have two hours."  
With that he strode out of the room, leaving Narcissa curled on the floor, watching the blood trickle from her split lips. Presently she stood up, straightened her robes and headed to the master bedroom.  
  
Draco heard his father's voice, and hastily switched off his radio. He checked his appearance in the mirror to make sure he was as tidy as his father liked him to be before heading downstairs to the parlour. On the stairs outside the parlour however, he stopped. He could hear raised voices from within.  
"I will not tolerate this sort of behaviour from you!" his fathers voice said, and then there was the unmistakable sound of a blow falling.  
"Do you understand me?" his father screamed, and Draco could hear the sound of his mother sobbing in pain, and the sound of blows falling. Suddenly it stopped. Draco shrank back behind a suit of armour, fearing his father would come storming out and catch him listening. There was a small pause however, during which his mother's sobs stopped. Then he heard his father snap at his mother. "Are you some sort of coward?" He might have heard more, but the wave of anger he felt towards his father drowned out all the words. The door to the parlour opened and Lucius walked out, letting the door swing shut behind him. The door closed with a click, but not before Draco had seen his mother lying curled on the floor, blood trickling from her mouth, her pretty face all red and bruised. Draco shrank further into the shadows, glaring at his father as he stalked past.   
When he was sure his father was gone, Draco tried to decide whether or not to go to his mother's aid. He didn't want to risk her being upset that he had seen her like that. He knew she tried very hard to keep him from knowing that his father beat her, and he didn't want to make thing worse by admitting that he knew.  
As he stood, torn with indecision, the door to the parlour opened once more, and his mother appeared. The blood was gone from her face, though it was still swollen and bruised. Her face looked like it had been set in stone. She walked away in the direction of the master bedroom, her blue eyes blank, obviously seeing nothing of her surroundings. When she had gone, Draco crept quietly up to his room.   
  
Narcissa was on autopilot as she headed for her bedroom. Without thinking she calmly washed her battered face and had a quick shower, carefully cleaning her bruised skin. Numbly she donned her dress robes and fixed her hair into an elegant style. Equally calmly she cast a Glamour spell over her split lips and black eye to hide them before she delicately applied her make-up. She felt hollow inside, as if she had gone away and was watching her own body from a long way away.  
The feeling continued throughout the long evening with her husbands associates. Narcissa played the loyal wife, giving Lucius adoring glances and being as charming as she knew how. She watched herself as she flirted slightly with her male guests, doing all she could to help Lucius close the deal. But inside the fire of anger had started to burn, a slow, smouldering flame which was buried so deep inside her that she almost didn't know that it was there.  
She noticed that Draco, as polite and courteous as he always was at this sort of occasion, looked slightly ill-at-ease, and kept shooting little glances as his father. Only someone who knew her son as well as she did could have seen the anger in those eyes. She caught Draco's eye and gave him a warning, yet somehow apologetic glance. Deep inside her, the little flame of anger flared slightly in a small breeze.  
  
Draco spent the whole of his father's incredibly boring dinner party trying to work out his feelings about what had happened that afternoon. His mother, looking like she'd spent the whole day making herself beautiful for this evening, sparkled with life and energy. She smiled and laughed, charming all the men around the table while at the same time making it clear with little glances how much she adored his father. Draco felt angry with both of them.  
"How can she do that?" he fumed silently. "He beat her this afternoon, how can she just sit there, not only pretending that it didn't happen, but pretending that she adores him and that he's never spoken a cross word to her?"  
He shot an angry glance at his father, who was buried deep in conversation with the most important person at the table. When he looked back at his mother, she caught his eye. For a moment he could see the pain and despair in her eyes, knew without a shadow of doubt that she was not at all happy with what Lucius had done to her, but couldn't think of anything else to do. Her eyes begged him not to say anything, there was a slight hint of shame and apology in them. She gave him a small smile and he saw the mask descend again over her eyes as she turned back to the person she had been talking to.  
Draco had never been so glad to be sent to bed in his life.  
  
When at long last the deal was clenched and the guests had gone, Lucius turned and smiled at his wife.  
"Well done dear. That was an excellent job you did there." He pulled her close and kissed her gently on the lips. Ignoring the shooting pains from her split lips, Narcissa kissed him back as convincingly as she could. Even as tingles of desire washed over her, anger was slowly beginning to course through her veins. The fire of anger in her heart was beginning to heat up her blood. Did Lucius think she was some sort of toy, to be used and abused as he wished? She had put up with it for a long time, and she was beginning to tire of it.  
Lucius pulled back from the kiss.  
"You go on up" he said "I'll join you in a minute."  
Narcissa smiled up at him, but as soon as she turned away an expression of stony anger slid onto her face.  
  
As she changed and readied herself for bed, she wondered why she let this go on. She spent most of her days living in fear of her husband, both for what he would do to her and for what he might do to her son. But what choice did she have? Lucius was a rich and powerful man of influence. She had gradually lost touch with her old friends during the course of her marriage, she didn't even have any relatives. There wasn't really anyone she could turn to for help. And what would happen to Draco if she left Lucius? She was so busy with her thoughts that she forgot to put her diaphragm in.  
As she slid into bed, she wondered why she still let him touch her. She didn't really want him to, but she would let him, and she would at least pretend to enjoy it. Maybe she would really enjoy it. Lucius had had a great deal of experience with women before their marriage, "probably still did have" she thought wryly, and enjoyed pleasing them. She shivered pleasantly at the thought, but her anger did not go away.  
She did not have long to wait before Lucius came in. He emerged from his own rooms and slid into bed beside her. She rolled over to face him and he kissed her gently. He made love to her as eagerly as he had always done, his touch gently and sure. Ignoring her bruises as she often did, Narcissa gave herself over to the sensations his hands gave her, allowing him to bring her to climax. Even as she came she felt ashamed. As he thrust inside her, she thought for an instant that his penis was a sword, which was cutting away her insides, destroying all of her feelings little by little and leaving her empty and hollow.   
When he rolled off her he gathered her into his arms, holding her close.  
"I'm sorry" he whispered. Narcissa nodded quietly. She lay in his embrace until his arms slackened and his deep, even breathing told her that he was asleep. She gently rolled out of his arms onto her own side of the bed and softly cried herself to sleep.  
  
Will Narcissa leave Lucius? Does Lucius beat Draco? Answers in the next part. REVIEW!  
  



	2. Unexpected news

Unexpected News by the Black Goddess  
  
Narcissa awoke feeling ill. Six weeks had passed since her last beating. She had been battered and bruised for nearly two weeks, but she had never felt like this. She rolled over uncomfortably, gradually becoming aware that she was alone in the bed. As consciousness returned, along with a growing feeling of nausea, she remembered that Lucius had gone on a business trip the night before, leaving her to go school-shopping with Draco, something she was looking forward to. The nausea seemed to be subsiding, and she sat up. This was a mistake. She raced to the toilet and was sick. When she was finished, she flushed the toilet and went to rinse her mouth out. As she opened the cabinet to get out her toothbrush, her hand bumped the opened box of sanitary towels, knocking it into the sink. She picked them up, and then froze. Putting them carefully back into the cupboard she closed it quietly and went into her bedroom. Reaching for the diary under her bed she began to flick through it, a growing feeling of horror inside her. She shut it with a snap, her worst fears confirmed. She hadn't had a period for three months, she had been feeling ill in the mornings for several weeks now, though this was the first time she had been sick. Narcissa felt a tremble of fear course through her body as she realised she was most probably pregnant. Why hadn't she been more careful? Lucius had always been certain about children - he only wanted one. He didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, but he only wanted one child. Narcissa had been one of four children herself, and would have liked another child but Lucius had been firm. She shook at the thought of what he would do to her. Numbly she got up to finishing getting dressed, her mind working frantically, trying to decide what to do. As she fastened the last button, she realised that she really did want this baby. She fought down the feelings of panic at what Lucius would say. The first thing to do, she told herself firmly, was to find out for sure if she was pregnant. Any other decisions could wait. Everything could wait until Draco was back at school. She didn't want to risk him hearing the row if she really was pregnant. He was going back in two days, so she could leave it until then to tell Lucius. Narcissa checked herself in the mirror and then went downstairs.  
"Hello Mother" said Draco cheerfully, looking up from his cereal to smile at her. "Are you nearly ready to go?" He looked excited at the prospect of going shopping. Narcissa grinned at him.  
"Ready when you are" she said cheerfully. He grinned back and began to wolf down his cereal.  
"Won't be a minute!" he said, slightly breathlessly, and tore off upstairs. Narcissa smiled at his retreating back and began to tidy the breakfast things to make life easier for the house-elves. She had to stop however, as the smell of the food made her feel ill. She groaned to herself and went into the parlour to fetch her bag.  
"OK, we can go!" gasped Draco. His face was slightly flushed as a result of running up and down all the stairs, and Narcissa privately thought he looked better like that.   
"Just let me check I've got everything" she said, laughing at her son's impatience. She checked she had Draco's school list and enough money to buy everything on it, plus a little extra to get them some lunch and a good-bye present for Draco.  
"OK, let's go!" she said. Draco headed quickly for the fireplace and the jar of Floo powder. Opening it he offered it to her. She grinned at him as she took some.  
"Diagon Alley" she said clearly and stepped into the fire. The nausea was worse when you were already feeling ill. Narcissa hoped she wouldn't be sick. Thankfully, it was only a short trip. Draco arrived shortly after she did, giving Narcissa time to get her stomach under control. They spent a lovely day in London, admiring the racing brooms and having lunch in the Leaky Cauldron. Narcissa noticed her son fell silent at one point in the meal, his eyes fixed on something to her right.  
"What is it?" she said, curiously. He didn't seem to hear her, so she glanced right to see what he was staring at. He was looking at a party of people who had just come in. There was a dark-haired boy among the gang of red-haired children, and it was this boy Draco was staring at.  
"Draco" she said, looking quickly back at her son. "Are you OK?"  
"Yes" he said, taking his gaze off the boy with an effort. "Harry Potter." he explained. Narcissa had heard many rants about Harry Potter during Draco's years at Hogwarts and quickly changed the subject. The rest of the meal passed cheerfully. Narcissa had quite recovered from her sickness that morning and ate a good deal, though not nearly as much as Draco who was just beginning to grow and had begun eating every morsel of food he could find.  
That afternoon they visited "Wizard Conflicts of the Past", a museum about wars in the wizarding world which covered everything from the goblin uprisings to the struggle against Voldemort. Narcissa took advantage of Draco's interest in the different types of goblin axes to sneak away.  
Hurrying from the building she headed quickly to "Cathy's Cure-alls". Once she was inside, she headed straight for the pregnancy tests. Snatching one up, she headed purposefully for the till - and bumped heavily into a small dark boy.  
"I'm sorry!" said Narcissa apologetically. "I wasn't looking where I was going"  
"It's OK" said the boy, looking up at her. "I wasn't either." Narcissa's eyes caught sight of the scar on his head and she froze. She had run right into Harry Potter, her son's worst enemy and the person most wanted by the Dark Lord. She knew he had seen the pregnancy test, and just hoped he wouldn't tell Draco or anyone else that he had seen her buy it.   
"No harm done then" she said cheerfully. "Could you excuse me please? I'm in a bit of a hurry."  
"Sorry" said Harry, moving quickly out of her way. Narcissa smiled at him as she hurried to an empty checkout.  
  
"Where've you been?" asked Draco in a hurt voice when she found him again.  
"Just to the toilet. I would have told you, but you looked so focused I didn't want to disturb you."  
"Oh." said Draco. He didn't question her any further, but Narcissa wasn't sure whether he believed her or not.  
The rest of the day passed happily, and Narcissa went to bed that night treasuring the memories of a happy day.  
The next morning she was sick again. After cleaning her teeth, she did the pregnancy test. As she waited for her pregnancy to be confirmed she dressed in a comfortable yet elegant robe, suitable for Lucius's return later that day. The test was positive, which did not surprise Narcissa in the least. She disposed of it carefully in her bathroom before going downstairs. She decided not to think of what would happen when she told Lucius of her pregnancy, but to concentrate on the feeling of joy she had at knowing she was having a baby. She passed a quiet day with Draco, enjoying the last of his company before he went back to school. She got butterflies in her stomach every time she thought of Lucius's return.  
It was about half past six when Lucius returned. Narcissa greeted him happily, asking all the right questions about his business trip. Draco was also very pleasant, and his behaviour pleased his father. After the topic of Lucius's business trip had been exhausted, the conversation turned to Draco's new term at Hogwarts and Lucius's hopes for his son.  
"Would you like to accompany us into the drawing room?" asked Lucius, as was his custom the night before his son went away. Draco consented - Narcissa though wryly that he couldn't really do anything else - and the evening passed without conflict. In one way Narcissa was thankful for the friendly atmosphere as it gave her time to think, but in another way she wished that something would happen to take her mind off what she would have to tell Lucius the following day. It was all very well resolving to be pleased about a pregnancy, she thought glumly, but when you knew it wasn't going to be seen as good news it was hard to stick to that. She began to wonder what Draco would think of the new baby. Narcissa hoped he'd like the idea. She always thought he must be lonely being an only child, but then again, this baby would be sixteen years younger than he was - hardly company. What if Draco hated the thought of being replaced? As her thoughts got more and more gloomy, Narcissa was glad when Lucius announced that they should go to bed now so as to be ready for the early start in the morning. Narcissa rose thankfully and gave her son a hug.   
"Goodnight Draco" she said, feeling her husband's disapproving eyes on her. "Sleep well"  
"Goodnight Mother" said Draco politely, hugging her tightly, but in a way that looked merely polite. He gave her the customary kiss on her left cheek before leaving the room.  
"You coddle him" said Lucius in a tone halfway between exasperation and amusement. "He is almost an adult now - old enough to stand on his own feet."  
"I do miss him when he's at school though" said Narcissa apologetically.  
"Never mind. Soon we'll be busy enough."  
  
After seeing Draco onto the train the next morning, Narcissa began trying to work up the courage to tell Lucius her news. However, he had arranged a small get-together of some of his old school friends that night, and Narcissa didn't get the chance to tell him her news. In fact, it took her several weeks to fit her announcement into their schedule. That year had been busier than others - their social gatherings had increased, and when they were not entertaining Lucius was away. By the beginning of October, Narcissa felt terrible. With her pregnancy almost four months along, she really needed to tell Lucius. She knew he would not be happy, but she also knew that if she put it off longer, he'd either guess or be angry with her for keeping it from him - and quite possibly both. That night over dinner, she plucked up her courage.  
"Wine, Narcissa?" asked Lucius.  
"No thank you." said Narcissa pleasantly. This was the first time she had dared refuse alcohol, she had been too afraid of making Lucius suspicious and angry to do what she had been told was best for her baby.  
"That's not like you" said Lucius, pouring some wine into his own glass. "You normally enjoy wine. Is something the matter?"  
"I'm pregnant" said Narcissa quietly, putting a mouthful of chicken into her mouth and chewing quickly. Lucius turned slowly to look at her.  
"Did I hear you correctly?" he asked, his voice sounding conversational, but with an edge to it that warned Narcissa he was taking this badly. She swallowed her mouthful and replied calmly  
"Yes you did. I'm having a baby."  
"When is it due?" asked Lucius, still in that conversational tone of voice. Narcissa ate another mouthful before replying.  
"In April. I'm about four months along." she said manner-of-factly.  
"And how long have you known about this?"  
"Since the day before Draco returned to school" replied Narcissa nervously.  
"And why did you not see fit to inform me before this?"  
"There hasn't really been time. I wanted to make sure that we could talk about this without having to worry about anything else."  
"Really? I do not think there is anything to discuss. We do not want any more children. You were supposed to see that no more appeared."  
"I'm sorry" said Narcissa tentatively, watching her husband carefully. Lucius was eating his food in tiny, measured bites. She continued to eat her meal, but had no idea of what she was eating. All her attention was focused on her husband, trying to work out what would happen next.  
"You will have to have an abortion." Lucius announced after a short pause. "Now is definitely not the time for another child."  
"I would like to keep this baby" said Narcissa softly.  
"We'll make a doctors appointment for you tomorrow" continued Lucius, speaking straight over her. "The sooner we're rid of this the better."  
"I want to keep this baby" said Narcissa more loudly.  
"Don't be silly" snapped Lucius, putting his knife and fork down on his plate. "You know we only planned to have one child. This one is not wanted. We have no need to have a second child, and now is most certainly not the time to have one even if it was wanted. The Dark Lord's plans require careful attention and great loyalty from all of his followers, and I will be needing your support. A child will get in the way, and could ruin everything. You will go to the doctors tomorrow and have a termination."  
"I want this child!" repeated Narcissa, frustration rising in her. "I don't care if it's an inconvenient time to have a baby, this child is going to be born in April."  
"Do you think to question me Narcissa?" said Lucius dangerously. Narcissa knew what was coming. He could not beat her with no excuse, but raising her voice slightly and questioning his decision was all the excuse that he needed.  
"Yes" she said softly. "I am carrying your child Lucius. A child who is as much an heir to the Malfoy tradition as Draco is, a child who is part of me and part of you. I do not want to kill my baby."  
"You should have thought of that before you got yourself pregnant" said Lucius threateningly. He began to move around the table towards her. Narcissa trembled but stood her ground. "You made a mistake, and now you'll have to pay for it." he hissed. He reached out to seize her by the shoulders.  
"Don't touch me." said Narcissa quietly, her voice quaking with fear.  
"You are my wife and I will do what I want with you."  
"I'm a person, not a possession! I have a mind of my own."  
"Then why don't you use it?" yelled Lucius, losing his temper completely. "Your incompetence saddles us with a child we don't want, and your pathetic emotionalism means that we have to keep the damn thing." He slapped her across the face. "You've been nothing but a disappointment to me Narcissa!"   
"Stop it." snapped Narcissa. "Don't touch me again. I mean it!" she yelled as he lifted his hand. "If you touch me ever again you'll regret it!"  
"Oh will I?" snarled Lucius. He lunged at Narcissa and proceeded to give her the worst beating of her life before storming out of the house, leaving Narcissa lying in a heap on the floor.   
When she was sure he was gone, Narcissa began to pull herself to her feet. Blood spattered her robes where her nose had bled, her eyes were so swollen she could barely see and her right arm was broken. Her whole body felt bruised. She was too numb even to cry. Slowly she made her way up the stairs, wincing at the pain from cracked ribs, praying that her baby would be all right and that she would have the strength to do what she had to. When she reached her bedroom, she pulled a small case from under the bed and began to put essentials into it. She packed quickly, knowing that if she had not left before Lucius returned she wouldn't be able to leave. When her bag held all her essentials and personal objects, Narcissa fastened it. She knew she was in no condition to Apparate, so she walked carefully down the stairs and out of the door.  
  
What will Narcissa do now? Review please! Next part coming soon, and thanks to everyone who reviewed the first part. You know who you are!  
  



	3. The Struggle

Anyone who had known Narcissa Hardesty at school wouldn't have recognised the poised, elegant girl in the stooped figure stumbling down the drive. Narcissa cradled her broken arm protectively across her cracked ribs. She had a small bag hooked over her left shoulder, but even that seemed to cause her pain. The beautiful face was distorted by swellings and discoloured by bruises. Narcissa limped slowly down the drive, carefully getting past all the security features her husband had put into place to discourage unwelcome visitors. When she was finally outside the gates of Malfoy Manor, Narcissa had to sit on a tree stump and rest until her pain had ebbed enough to go on. Summoning the strength to start walking, to leave Malfoy Manor behind for good, was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. She knew that she could just turn around, go back in, and Lucius would never know how close she had come to leaving.  
"No" she thought angrily at the treacherous part of her mind that whispered such things. "No. If I go back now, things won't get better, they'll probably get worse." Narcissa forced herself to her feet and moved as quickly as she could away from Malfoy Manor, towards the village.  
To take her mind off her pain, Narcissa tried to think of what she should do now. Her parents were dead, as was her oldest brother. All three had died in a house fire just before Draco had been born. No one knew exactly what had happened, but the house was destroyed and the blackened skeletons of her parents and brother had been retrieved when the ruins had stopped smoking three days later. The funeral had been conducted the day after Draco's birth, so Narcissa had been unable to go. Her remaining brother and older sister had gone, and both had paid a quick visit to Narcissa in the hospital to see Draco and tell her how it had gone. Both of them felt she had made a mistake in marrying Lucius, but Narcissa at that time had had no doubts.  
"You can always come to me" her older sister had promised, giving baby Draco a kiss before she left. Narcissa had thanked her, but had assured her that no such help would be required. They had all parted on good terms though, a fact Narcissa was grateful for as she had barely seen them since. Her brother worked as a cursebreaker for Gringotts in South America and had lived there full time since their parents had died. Her sister was a historical researcher, currently investigating the role of magic in the erection of menhir fields in France, and the historical purpose behind their creation. Even if Narcissa could get word to either of them, help would be another thing entirely. It would take two or three days for an owl to get to France, another day for her sister to make a decision and another three days for her reply. Even if her sister dropped everything and raced to her aid, Apparition was unreliable over long distances and it could take her several days to get to her sister. Narcissa needed somewhere to stay while she waited for her sister's response. She definitely couldn't catch the Knight bus, not in the state she was in, so her destination would have to be close by. Narcissa's knowledge of first aid, magical or otherwise was distinctly sketchy, so she needed medical attention as well. Narcissa sat down on a stile, exhausted with pain and fear. She fought back tears as she tried to think of what to do. All she could think was that she had to get as far away from Lucius as she could and then hide until her sister arrived. She was so tired, she just wanted to curl up and disappear.  
"Come on" she said out loud to herself. "You can't stay here for ever. Get moving or he'll catch you." She struggled to her feet and began to stumble along the dark lane again towards the lights of the village. However, the habit of talking to herself, once started, proved a difficult one to break.   
"I should stop talking to myself" said Narcissa, aware that to say that out loud was definitely odd, but not having the energy to force herself into silence. "People will think I'm crazy. I probably am, running out her in the night with nowhere to go. If I was sensible, I'd have waited, planned it properly. I shouldn't have told Lucius I'm pregnant. I should have laid my plans first, told him and then left." Narcissa rambled on through a haze of pain, the sound of her own voice and the pain blocking all of her senses preventing her from hearing the rustling in the bushes that would have told her she was no longer alone.  
"I need to get to a hospital" muttered Narcissa. "I hope the baby's OK. If I go to a hospital, Lucius'll find me. I can't walk to France! I should have sent her an owl before I left. Then she'd know I was coming. I wonder if I'll ever see Draco again." rambled Narcissa. Her whole being was concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.  
"What's important in running away is the 'from'" she told herself firmly. "The 'to' takes care of itself. It'd be nice to know there was somewhere with a doctor though. I think broken ribs heal themselves, but I once read about a girl who broke her arm and didn't get it treated. She was deformed for life! What would I do with the baby if my arm was ruined? A one-armed mother's no good!"  
Narcissa was interrupted at this point by a man stepping onto the path beside her.  
"Narcissa Malfoy?" a voice inquired. There was something vaguely familiar about it, but Narcissa couldn't think where she had heard it before.  
"'Til death do us part!" she agreed with a slightly hysterical giggle.  
"Did Lucius send you to kill me?" she said curiously. "I didn't think he'd be back yet" she added.   
"I don't work for Lucius" said the voice. Narcissa thought it sounded like it came from a long way away.  
"Have you got an owl?" she inquired. "I need to write to my sister. I'm not mad you know, only tired. She lives in France, but I can't walk there." she told the stranger.  
"Will you let me help you?" asked the stranger. He sounded concerned.   
"I'm pregnant already" Narcissa said, stumbling slightly as a loose rock shifted under her foot.  
"I don't want to take advantage of you" the stranger told her patiently. "I want to take you somewhere where you can get that arm seen to"  
"He'll find me. I don't think he will kill me, but I don't know." said Narcissa worriedly. "He'll kill the baby, if he hasn't already. I need to hide until my sister comes, or until I can go to her. It's only a few weeks. Do you have a house?"  
"I can take you somewhere where you will be safe, if you'll come with me" said the stranger.  
"If I don't go with you, I'll be stuck here when the sun rises and Lucius will find me. If I go with you, unless you take me straight to him, things can't get worse." said Narcissa tiredly. "I'll come with you."  
The stranger took her arm. "I have a hippogriff" he informed her. "Do you think you could bow to him?"  
"If you'll stop me falling on my face!" joked Narcissa feebly.  
"Buckbeak!" called the stranger. Narcissa heard a flapping sound and a huge hippogriff landed in front of her. Narcissa caught it's eye and tried not to blink, maintaining the eye contact as she leaned precariously forwards. When she pulled herself upright, the hippogriff bowed.  
"Come on" said the stranger. "Climb on. I'll sit behind you and make sure you don't fall off." Narcissa allowed him to assist her onto the back of the hippogriff, where she balanced uncertainly as the hippogriff took off.  
"Don't worry, I've got you" the stranger assured her. "You'll be OK now"  
Narcissa allowed the blackness at the edges of her vision to claim her and fell into a nervous, pain-filled sleep.  
  
Narcissa felt as though she was on the hippogriff for hours. The long trek down the dark lane became somewhat dreamlike. Narcissa was almost sure she was hallucinating. She was talking constantly to herself now, but most of what she was saying was neither audible or coherent. The stranger urged the hippogriff to go faster.  
"Tell me Narcissa" said the stranger into her ear, hoping to bring back some lucidity. "Why were you walking down that lane at midnight?"  
"I'm pregnant you know" she said. "Lucius says that now is not the time for a baby. He didn't want a child anyway, but especially not now. I want this child, and I told him so. Then he beat me. I hope the baby's OK" she said anxiously. "Where are you taking me?"  
"To a place where you will be safe from Lucius Malfoy and any other supporters of Voldemort"  
"Is there such a place? I often think Lucius can get anywhere"  
"Don't worry, you'll be safe here. I must send an owl though, to tell them we're coming. Will you be OK with Buckbeak?" The stranger was already bringing the hippogriff to land near a clump of trees.  
"Yes. Will you send an owl to my sister?"  
"If you tell me what to say" said the stranger cheerfully, sliding off the hippogriffs back and getting out a quill and some parchment.  
  
"Dear Persephone,  
I have left Lucius and am in need of your help. I am afraid he will find me and force me to return to him, but I am having a baby he doesn't want, and if I return I know he will kill my baby, and possibly me as well. I would very much like to come and stay with you until I decide how best to proceed. Please write back as soon as you can.  
You loving sister, Narcissa."  
  
"Is that OK?" she asked. The stranger finished scribbling down what she had said.  
"Sign it so she knows it's from you"  
Narcissa signed the document clumsily with her left hand, than sat still to wait for the strangers return. The light sleep had refreshed her slightly, and she started to wonder where she had heard that voice before. It was a very long time ago, that was for certain. The voice in her head was that of a young teen, not long past childhood, yet this man was probably no more than five years younger than her, if that. Narcissa frowned to herself, glad to have something other than her pain to focus on. Who was it? She could remember the voice explaining something, sounding penitent  
"But Professor, we didn't mean to ruin his robes. It's really not our fault that when the fireworks went off he poured a whole jug of gravy down them"  
She almost had it then - could almost see the faces floating in front of her...  
She gave up with a sigh, and fell asleep again.  
  
When she awoke, they were once more in the air, heading north. She had remembered who the voice belonged to.  
"Why haven't you killed me?" she inquired.  
"Why would I do that?" said the stranger, sounding wary.  
"You're Sirius Black, aren't you?" she asked, a tremble in her voice.  
"Yes" he admitted.  
"So why are you helping me?"  
"Because I didn't kill Peter Pettigrew. I'm innocent of those crimes, but there's no proof. Dumbledore believes me, but his word is not enough to save me from the Dementors Kiss. So I work secretly for Dumbledore, doing jobs for him against Voldemort. I'm taking you to Hogwarts, where Lucius won't be able to reach you and where you can rest and recover."  
"I am grateful" said Narcissa, "but I will be no worse off than before if you are lying to me"  
"True" agreed Sirius, and they flew on in silence.  
Narcissa must have dozed off again, because the next thing she knew, the hippogriff was landing near the mouth of a cave. It was nearly dawn, and Narcissa had never felt so awful in her life. Her ribs and arm felt as if they were on fire, and her whole body ached from a night of hippogriff riding.   
"Where are we?" she asked tiredly.  
"Hogsmeade. We'll have to wait here until Dumbledore tells us how to get into the castle without being seen. We don't want to attract too much attention"  
Narcissa gratefully slid down from the hippogriff and slumped to the floor.  
"Do you mind if I sleep?" she asked, unsure why she was asking.   
"No problem. We shouldn't be here long, but I'll wake you when it's time" Narcissa allowed herself to lapse back into unconsciousness.  
"Really Sirius!" she heard a voice say. "Fancy bringing her all this way by hippogriff in that condition!"  
"I couldn't do anything else! She's in no state to catch the Knight Bus, or any other form of public transport for that matter. She says she's got nowhere to go, so I've brought her to you."  
Narcissa realised the voices were real, and tried to open her eyes. They had swollen so much she could hardly see.  
"Professor Dumbledore?" she asked, squinting through the slits of her swollen eyelids.  
"That's right. I'm just conjuring up a stretcher for you and then we'll take you up to the school and into the medical wing."  
"Don't tell Draco" begged Narcissa. "He can't see me like this! Please, Professor, promise me you won't tell him!"  
"Shh, it's OK. I won't tell anyone anything, and nor will Sirius" promised Dumbledore kindly. "You just stay calm and try to rest. You'll be OK now"  
  
Next part coming soon, and it'll be sooner if you REVIEW! Thanks very much to everyone who's reviewed the other parts!  
  
  



	4. Difficult choices

When Narcissa came to herself again, several days had passed. She didn't remember having her broken arm and ribs treated, nor any of the following time.   
"Nice to see you awake at last" said a plump woman, smiling at her. "We've put you in a private room - keep you away from the school gossip and let you rest properly. How are you feeling?"   
"How is my baby?" Narcissa asked immediately.   
"Doing fine dear" she was told. "You've been lucky. Professor Dumbledore would like to talk to you when you feel well enough."   
"I can talk to him whenever it's convenient" said Narcissa quietly. She lay back, resting her hand on her stomach. She could see bruises on her skin, and knew the matron had been unable to remove all the evidence of her beating.   
"Did you take pictures?" she asked suddenly, realising she might need proof of her ill-treatment to divorce Lucius.   
"Yes, that's all been taken care of. You should try to rest, you need your strength. Professor Dumbledore will help you now." Narcissa nodded gratefully.   
"What does Draco know?" she asked. "Has Lucius told him anything? Does anyone even know I'm not at home?"   
"We had a letter from your sister this morning. She's coming immediately, but you'll want to answer her anyway. So far as we know, Draco knows nothing. No-one has heard that you aren't still with Lucius, and Dumbledore's spies are excellent."   
"Would I be able to see my son?"   
"I'm sure you can, but I think Professor Dumbledore would like to see you first"   
Narcissa nodded and turned her full attention to the breakfast tray Madame Pomfrey had brought her. Just as she was finishing it, the door opened and Professor Dumbledore walked in.   
"How do you feel Mrs Malfoy?" he asked.   
"Better, but please call me Narcissa" she said.   
"I am obviously concerned about the state that you were in when you arrived her, and your plans for the future" Dumbledore told her, coming straight to the point.   
"I do not want to go back to Lucius" said Narcissa bluntly. "He may not want this baby, but I do"   
"Was that the cause of the argument?"   
"I told him I was pregnant, having a baby in late March/early April, and he said that I knew perfectly well his feelings about children, and that even if he had wanted a second child, now was not the time to have it. I said I wanted to keep my baby and he beat me. When he left, I packed my things and started walking."   
"Has he beaten you before?"   
"Yes" admitted Narcissa softly. She knew she might as well tell Dumbledore everything, but she almost couldn't bear to admit it.   
"Yes" she said again, more strongly. "Several times. He has a fairly short fuse, but he can be very charming. I've only left him because of the baby," said Narcissa softly, hating to admit it, but knowing it was true. "If I didn't think he'd kill my baby, I would have stayed. I don't want to lose Draco you see, and I'm sure his father won't let me see him once we divorce. Besides, I still love Lucius. He is a great man Professor, and I'm sure he doesn't mean to hurt me."   
"Do you want to see Draco now?" asked Dumbledore, watching Narcissa carefully. He could see how much the effort of speaking so plainly about Lucius had cost her.   
"Please" said Narcissa. "I want to make sure he knows I'm all right"   
"I will fetch him immediately" said Dumbledore, and left the room. Narcissa lay back and closed her eyes, preparing herself for her son's appearance.   
  
  
Draco was halfway through a double Potions lesson when Professor Dumbledore came in, looking grave.   
"Excuse me for disrupting your lesson Severus, but I would like to borrow Draco Malfoy."   
Draco, who had been enjoying the expression of nervous panic on Potter's face felt his own face freeze, even as Harry's relaxed. He made an effort to appear normal as he threw his books and quill into his bag, but inside he was wondering what on earth could have happened to make Dumbledore come and get him. He knew it could be nothing good. He could feel Harry's eyes on him as he walked out of the room.   
Professor Dumbledore began to lead him along the passage way, towards the medical wing. When they were a good distance from the Potions lab, he said   
"Now Draco, I must tell you some things before I allow you to go in" Draco frowned. Go in where?   
"Four days ago, your mother was brought to Hogwarts in a bad state." An icy fist clenched around Draco's heart. He knew his father must have beaten her again, badly too if she had come here. His hatred of his father swelled, and he almost missed Dumbledore's next words.   
"Madame Pomfrey has done the best she can, but your mother's condition makes healing difficult, so your mother still has bruises. She is very distressed, so I would ask you to try not to upset her further. However, she is going to be all right. We are taking good care of her."   
By this time they had reached the medical wing. Dumbledore opened the door and led Draco past the rows of empty beds and through a small door hidden by a tapestry into what seemed to be a store cupboard.   
"Go on" he said, gesturing towards a small door at the other side of it.   
Draco pushed open the door quietly and looked cautiously into the room behind it. His mother lay there, her eyes closed. Her face was covered in bruises and her right arm was in a sling. Draco could see more bruises on her arms. She looked pale and fragile lying there, a still figure against the sheets.   
"Mum?" he said nervously, his voice trembling. At the sound of his voice his mothers eyes opened.   
"Come here Draco" she begged. Draco rushed over to her and she pulled him into a fierce hug. He could feel her body shaking with sobs, and despite himself Draco began to cry.   
  
When they had both calmed down a bit, Narcissa began to talk to her son, explaining what had happen and why, trying to spare Lucius as much as she could in the telling of his crimes.   
"You can't go back!" Draco told her furiously. "He nearly killed you! You mustn't go near him again."   
"It won't be as easy as that" Narcissa told her son gently. "Your father may accept this easily and allow me to divorce him quietly, possibly even with a settlement to avoid disgrace to the family name, but he may not. I may have to fight him for a divorce, and if I do, things will get nasty. There would be a public battle, mud-slinging, name-calling etc., and it would be very unpleasant."   
"It doesn't matter! You've got to leave him, no matter what he does. You can't go back!"   
"And then there is the issue of you. Lucius has no interest in this baby - only in you. In his mind, you are his sole heir, and he will want to raise you himself. He may not want you to have any contact with me at all, and you could lose everything - the money, the land, by flouting his wishes. If he will allow you to see me, then things may be OK, but if he won't..." Narcissa let the sentence trail off. Both she and her son knew the lengths to which Lucius could go, and Narcissa knew that she wanted to see her son.   
"With any luck" said Narcissa, forcing a cheerful smile "he'll be so busy supporting Lord Voldemort that he'll give me the divorce without arguing."   
"You never know" agreed Draco, before quickly changing the subject. Both of them knew how unlikely that was.   
"What are you going to call the baby, and when is it due?" asked Draco after a while.   
"It's due around the end of March, and I haven't even considered names yet" Narcissa told him.   
"But it's October!"   
"Only just!" laughed Narcissa   
"But the baby's due in March! That's only five months!" said Draco. 'At least Draco likes the idea of a baby!' thought Narcissa.   
"Six actually including October, but a pregnancy only last nine months overall"   
"How long have you known?" asked Draco interestedly.   
"Since the day we bought your school things. I sneaked off to buy a pregnancy test then and confirmed it that evening. Since I knew your father wouldn't like it, I thought I'd wait until you'd gone to break the news. I spent the whole of September waiting for the right moment."   
"Oh" There was a small pause.   
"But you must have some idea." he said "Do you want a boy or a girl?"   
"I want a healthy baby. I don't care what sex it is. What would you prefer?"   
"I don't know."   
"You should hope for a boy" Narcissa told him, "because if it's a girl you're obliged to spoil her rotten!" The two laughed. Just at the moment, Madame Pomfrey walked in.   
"It's nice to see you looking so much better" she told Narcissa "but you should really get some rest now. Go on young man! Shoo!" Draco looked slightly crestfallen, and Madame Pomfrey relented enough to say   
"You can come back for an hour at seven o'clock, but no more mind! Your mum needs her sleep." Draco nodded and hurried off to lunch.   
  
When Draco had gone, Narcissa leaned back onto her pillows. Seeing her son had tired her more than she had expected, and had also brought back many memories, both good and bad, memories of his birth, memories of Lucius. A tear slid down Narcissa's cheek. She lay there, crying quietly as she remembered the early days of her marriage, how happy Lucius had been when she had told him about her first pregnancy. After a while she shook herself and reached for a tissue before snuggling down and falling asleep again.   
When she woke again, Narcissa remembered the letter from her sister, lying unread on her bedside table. She reached out and picked it up.   
  
Dear Cissa,   
I just got an owl from Professor Dumbledore saying that you're at Hogwarts, pregnant and Lucius has been beating you. Why didn't you tell me? You know I'd drop everything to help you. I'm leaving this evening and should be with you on the seventh of October. Be strong until then. I'll help you sort everything out. You aren't alone Cissa, no matter what Lucius wants you to think.   
All my love   
Persephone   
  
Narcissa felt a rush of emotion at reading her sister's letter. She wondered what the date was, how soon her sister would arrive. Quickly she scribbled a note to Persephone telling her that she was grateful to her and would explain everything when she saw her. Just as she finished writing it, Madame Pomfrey came in with a tray.   
"How are you my dear?" she asked cheerfully.   
"Feeling better" said Narcissa, looking eagerly at the tray. "Would you be able to send this letter to my sister for me?"   
"Of course. Here you go!" she said, giving Narcissa the tray in exchange for the letter. "She'll be here in two days, so this might not reach her. You just concentrate on getting better."   
"Thank you for helping me. I'll try and get better as soon as possible and get out of your hair."   
"How could we do anything else? Don't you worry about us, concentrate on that baby."   
Narcissa smiled and began to eat her meal. When she had finished it all, she picked up a piece of scrap paper and a pen and began to draft out a letter to Lucius, a task she was not sorry to take a break from when Draco came back at seven.   
"How are you?" he said worriedly.   
"Much better thanks! I had a good sleep this afternoon, and that's helped me I think."   
"Oh good. What are you doing?"   
"Writing to your father" said Narcissa with a groan. "Your aunt Persephone is arriving in two days, so I'll know more what's going to happen when I've discussed things with her." Draco nodded and changed the subject. The two chatted cheerfully about safer subjects until eight o'clock when Madame Pomfrey came to chase Draco away, with the promise of letting him return the following evening.   
Narcissa watched her son leave the room, thinking about the effect her actions could have on him. Then she heaved a deep sigh and resumed writing her letter to Lucius.   
  
  
A/N Sorry this was so long in coming! A slight touch of writers block and a large case of exams have SERIOUSLY delayed this fic! Still, with any luck, the next chapter should be along soon. I've also started a Harry/Draco (slash) companion fic to this one, and the first part of this should be posted eventually. Thanks for being so patient!   
Thanks especially to PurpleSailorSaturn7, Lakshmi Luna, Angel, Draco's Gurl, Thea, Mandi, Atlanta Zora, Landry Anne, Mandy of the Amoeba, Amanda, Empress of the Eclipse, Phoebe Angela, Lady Potter, Darla, Gileonnen, Kimoon, Sarah, Erin, Malfoy's Girl and Lelio, who all reviewed this and encouraged me to keep writing it. Your reviews are appreciated people! 


	5. Resolutions

Narcissa was reading quietly by the window when the door opened behind her. She looked round curiously, wondering what Madame Pomfrey wanted in this unusual visit. The next minute the book fell unnoticed to the floor as Narcissa rushed to embrace the most welcome of visitors.  
"Persephone!" she gasped. "I'm so glad to see you! I've got myself into a terrible mess and I don't know what to do." Narcissa hugged her older sister tightly and began to cry.  
"Shh Cissa. I'm here now, and everything's going to be OK" soothed Persephone, leading her sister gently over to the window seat.  
  
When Narcissa had calmed down enough, she began to tell her sister the whole story.  
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" demanded her sister fiercely. "I could have done something!"  
"It's mostly OK. I know what upsets him, I just have to be careful, that's all."  
"Tell me you aren't thinking of going back to him."  
"If it wasn't for this baby, I would." confessed Narcissa in a sudden burst of honesty. "I still love Lucius. I think I always will. But Lucius doesn't want this baby, and now I've left him he'll be ashamed. I've hurt his pride. He won't take me back now. Besides, he'd probably hurt the child, and I want this baby to be happy."  
"What will happen to Draco?"  
"The most important thing for Draco's future is that he keeps his father happy." said Narcissa bluntly. "I have nothing I can give Draco, but as things stand, he will inherit the whole estate. If he upsets Lucius however, he will have nothing, and I know the home of his ancestors means a lot to Draco."  
"Oh Cissa!" said Persephone softly. "Won't you see him at all?"   
"I don't know."  
"What is your exact position?"  
"I have little more than the clothes I stand up in." said Narcissa softly. "I have no money and nowhere to go. I've lost contact with most of my old friends during my marriage. This is the only place I can stay, and I have no way of ever leaving."  
"That's rubbish! I'm here now, and we can rent a small cottage somewhere - in Hogsmeade if you like so you can see as much of Draco as possible while we settle things with Lucius. What have you told Lucius so far?"  
"Just that I'm safe, and will contact him again soon. I didn't tell him where I am or anything."  
"Right. We need to contact him and arrange terms."  
"Terms?"  
"Divorce, maintenance and so on." said Persephone calmly.  
"Lucius will never grant me a divorce!" said Narcissa, stunned by the very idea.  
"He will. What else is he going to do? He won't let you have the baby, but you're sure you want to keep it. Those are completely incompatible desires. Even if he didn't beat you and your son, I can't really see where else this is headed."  
"But Malfoys never divorce! It'll be a scandal!"  
"Which is why you are in a strong position. He'll probably give you whatever you ask for in order for you to keep your mouth shut. Things will be OK Cissa. We'll get you enough, first as a lump sum, then more in monthly instalments to make sure that you and this child don't lack for anything. Whether he likes it or not, this is his baby, and you are still his wife. He owes it to you to take care of you, and it's not as if he only earns enough to scrape by." Persephone looked at her sister thoughtfully. Narcissa looked tired and uncertain. Persephone began gathering her strength. The following months would not be easy for anyone, and that fact that Narcissa wasn't sure what she wanted would make them harder. Persephone could see that she might have to be very ruthless indeed to make sure that Lucius didn't cheat Narcissa out of what she deserved. For now though, her sister looked as if she'd had all that she could stand.  
"So when will I see Draco then?" she asked. "He was only a tiny baby when I last saw him, and you can't tell much from photos really."  
"He normally comes to see me for an hour at seven. He's getting really tall, which isn't really surprising as he's nearly sixteen." Narcissa chattered happily about her son for a while, then the conversation moved onto Persephone's life.  
"Why haven't you married Sephy?"  
"I don't really think it's necessary. Maybe I'll think differently one day, but for now I'm happy. I'm living with someone I like very much, but neither of us thinks marriage is very important. He'll probably talk me into it eventually, but for now I'm OK I don't think that motherhood is the be all and end all of life. We've been living together for nearly two years now. We suit each other. He earns quite well, so it's not like he's sponging off me if that's what you think! He understands that you need me now, and is happy to keep things ticking over at home for a while. He really wants to see you actually - he's an only child from a small family, and is fascinated by the idea of siblings and so on. When you feel up to it, you can come and visit us if you like. We could even go over there while the divorce comes through. I don't think it's all too safe over here at the moment."  
"Probably as safe as France" said Narcissa, slightly stiffly.  
"For you maybe, but it might be more awkward for me. I may not have actively fought against You Know Who, but I have helped people who did. I still do for that matter."  
"Who?" asked Narcissa, curious in spite of herself.  
"Don't be silly Cis. I can't tell you anything like that. It wouldn't be safe. I've told you too much already. My home in France is lovely anyway. I'd really like you to see it."  
"I definitely will." promised Narcissa. The sisters talked animatedly all afternoon, catching up properly on the news of the last fifteen years. They talked for so long that when the door opened and Draco came in they both jumped. Narcissa stood quickly and hugged her son, before turning to her sister.  
"Draco, this is your aunt Persephone, my older sister. She's come to help me out for a bit. Seph, this is Draco."  
Persephone reached out her hand to shake Draco's, appraising him critically.  
"You're the image of your father." she said dryly. 'I'd put money on the fact that you're a good bit your father's son as well' she thought. 'I bet you can be an evil little rat when you like' She smiled at him as she thought this, and he smiled back reservedly.  
"You've grown a bit since I last saw you as well." she informed him with a laugh. "You were only a couple of days old then. I've been meaning to visit for ages, but somehow I've never got round to it."  
"It's nice to meet you" said Draco politely. "Have you and Mum made any decisions?"  
"Not really." said Persephone, glancing at her sister, who was looking out of the window with a troubled expression on her face. "I've suggested renting a cottage or something in Hogsmeade where your mother can live until things are settled. Another option of course is her coming to France with me when I go back and staying for the duration."  
"When anything is decided, you'll be the first to know, I promise." said Narcissa suddenly. "This concerns you too, and I want to keep you up to date with what's going on."  
"Thank you" said Draco politely. Persephone glanced at him.  
"Have you heard from your father recently Draco?"  
"He hasn't mentioned anything, just said that he quarrelled with Mum and she's gone away to think about things. He hasn't told me what he's planning to do, or asked me if I've heard from her."  
Persephone nodded.  
"Why?" asked Draco curiously.  
"I just wondered what frame of mind he's in." Persephone fell silent for a second, then said in a different tone of voice.  
"Narcissa, do you mind if I go now? I've booked rooms at the Three Broomsticks, and I'd like to have a meal and get settled before it's very late."  
"Of course not! It's lovely of you to come!"  
"Well, I couldn't leave you now could I?" asked Persephone, going over to hug her sister. "Now you take care of yourself! Make sure to have a meal when I've gone, and keep thinking about what you want to do next. I'll come back in a few days - there are a few things I want to do first. It was nice meeting you again." she said, turning to Draco. "I'll see you again soon. Don't worry, I'll look after your mother for as long as she needs it."  
Draco gave her a genuine smile and nodded. Persephone grinned at them and left, leaving the mother and son to their own devices.  
  
Persephone made her way out of the school grounds and down the path towards Hogsmeade, deep in thought about her sister's predicament. She didn't notice the dark figure behind her until it was too late.  
"Well, well. Look who we have here." hissed a voice. Persephone froze, then turned to face the speaker.  
"What do you want, Lucius?" she asked tonelessly, a tremble of fear flowing down her spine.  
"Just to talk. Come with me, I won't hurt you."  
"You already have." she said softly. Lucius laughed, a hollow sound that contain no trace of humour.  
"I suppose so. You two always were close. Please Persephone, come with me. I only want to talk about my wife."  
"What makes you think I know anything about her?"  
"Don't play games Persephone. You live in France. What would you be doing here if she weren't? Besides, Narcissa has nowhere else to go. She must be here. Won't you just talk to me?"  
"OK," said Persephone. She followed Lucius in silence to the Hogs Head. Lucius walked in calmly and headed up the back stairs, taking her into his private lounge.  
"Sit." he said calmly, settling himself into an armchair by the fire.   
"Tell me, how is my wife?" he asked. He pulled back the hood on his robe, allowing Persephone to see his face for the first time. 'The years have not been kind to him,' she thought immediately. Lucius looked much older than he had when Draco was born, there were fatigue lines around his eyes.  
"How do you think she is?" she said angrily.  
"Please Persephone, give me some straight answers." he said. She could see pain in his eyes, and relented slightly.  
"Hurting, of course. Both she and Draco are very excited about the baby." she said, watching Lucius carefully to see how he took this. A bitter look appeared in his eyes.  
"I've lost her, haven't I?" he said. His voice betrayed no emotion, only the tightening of his hands on the armchair revealed his true feelings. "Have I lost him too?"  
"Draco is your son," said Persephone softly. "But he loves his mother. If you treat her well, he will still be your son."  
"What does she want?" asked Lucius, getting up from the chair and moving over to the window.  
"She is having your child. She needs money. You've treated her badly - she deserves money for that."  
"She is not having half."  
"That's what she deserves, and that's just her, without the baby. The baby deserves something too."  
"If I pay her off, will she and the child leave me alone?"  
"Yes." said Persephone softly, staring at Lucius's back.  
"And what of the son I already have?"  
"Let him see his mother. In two years he will be eighteen, and you will have no control over him. He needs to see her, and the baby."  
"I'm sorry, you know." he said, his voice full of emotion.  
"Sorry isn't good enough." said Persephone gently. "You can never be sorry enough Lucius."  
"Then I will concentrate on the things that matter. I will pay Narcissa."  
"You should write to her. You need to meet and discuss the arrangements."  
"Won't you tell her what we've discussed?"  
"This should be between you and her. I won't tell her I've seen you unless she asks me."  
"I will agree to that." said Lucius softly, turning to Persephone. She could see the tears in is eyes glistening in the lamplight. "We will tell no one of our meeting, and I will meet Narcissa to discuss the divorce settlement. It is, after all, important that the mother of my heir is not seen to be in the gutter; that she should have a home suitable for him to visit."  
Persephone nodded, hoping that her sister would be strong enough to accept what Lucius offered, to face him if it was not enough.  
"Will you be accompanying her?" he asked, the lines on his face deeper than when Persephone had arrived.  
"If she asks me to. I trust you will be fair to her." said Persephone, hoping for some promise from this man that would let her believe her sister would be safe and secure.  
"Yes." said Lucius with a sigh. "I need to settle this as quickly as possible. I will give her a lump sum and an allowance that will support her and the child and ensure that she does not have to work. Satisfied?"  
"Yes. Thank you for not making this harder." said Persephone, allowing her gratitude to flow into her voice.  
"I do this because it suits me!" said Lucius icily. "I need this tiresome matter ended so I can attend to more important things. Our business is finished, Persephone."  
"Goodbye Lucius." she said. Persephone turned and walked out of the room, making her way down the stairs and out of the pub without difficulty, her mind occupied by Lucius.  
'Maybe I misjudged him.' she thought as she made her way to her own lodgings. She was not deceived by Lucius's hard words at the end of their meeting. 'He may mean them somewhere, but he does not mean them entirely.' she thought. 'If he is fair to Narcissa, he's a better man than I ever gave him credit for.' With this thought, she went into the warmth of the Three Broomsticks.  
  
  
Two weeks later, Narcissa stood outside the Three Broomsticks, breathing deeply.  
"You're sure you're OK?" asked Persephone.  
"I want to do this alone." said Narcissa definitely. "I just need a minute, that's all."  
Persephone grasped her sister's hand and squeezed it.  
"It'll be OK." she whispered.  
Narcissa squeezed her sister's hand in return, then let go of it and walked into the Three Broomsticks. Once inside she stood near the door, looking around. Lucius was alone in a corner booth. She made her way over to him, sliding into the seat opposite him. His face when he looked at her was tired. Narcissa knew that this had been hard for him. She hardened her heart. This was the right decision, and she knew it. If she didn't leave now, she might never be able to.  
"Hello Lucius." she said tentatively. Lucius gave her a slight smile, but when he spoke, his voice was hard.  
"I believe we have some things to discuss?" he said. Narcissa took a deep breath and nodded.  
  
Once the terms were agreed, they sat in silence for a minute.  
"Well, goodbye Narcissa." said Lucius, finishing his drink and getting himself ready to leave. "The papers will reach you soon. All you'll have to do is sign them and you will be a free woman." Narcissa nodded, her eyes full of tears she tried to hide by staring at the table. There were so many things she wanted to say, but her emotions could find no voice.  
"I love you, you know," said Lucius tenderly, standing up.  
"You have a funny way of showing it," she said softly, standing up as well.  
"I'm sorry for what I've done to you," he said, looking at her, his quick eyes noticing the tears Narcissa was trying so hard to hide.  
"Goodbye Lucius," she said, refusing to throw herself into his arms and agree to try again. He stepped in closer and kissed her on the lips, a sweet, gentle kiss, before turning and walking out of the pub, leaving Narcissa struggling to compose herself before walking back up to the school where her sister was waiting.  
  
The End  
  
AN: I hope that was worth waiting for! I'll put the lyrics up in a final chapter. Review and tell me what you think! Thanks very much to everyone who reviewed this and nagged me for the next part! Your support and feedback is very much appreciated - it makes it worth doing!   
  



	6. Song Lyrics

Black Eyes, Blue Tears  
By Shania Twain  
  
Black eyes, I don't need 'em  
Blue tears, gimme freedom  
  
Positively never goin' back  
I won't live where things are so out of whack  
No more rollin' with the punches  
No more using or abusing  
  
I'd rather die standing  
Than live on my knees  
Begging please, no more  
  
Black eyes, I don't need 'em  
Blue tears, gimme freedom  
Black eyes - all behind me   
Blue tears'll never find me now  
  
Definitely found my self-esteem  
Finally - I'm forever free to dream  
No more crying in the corner  
No excuses - no more bruises  
  
I'd rather die standing   
Than live on my knees  
Begging please, no more  
  
Black eyes, I don't need 'em  
Blue tears - gimme freedom  
Black eyes - all behind me  
Blue tears'll never find me now  
  
I'd rather die standing  
Than live on my knees, begging please....  
  
Black eyes, I don't need 'em  
Blue tears, gimme freedom  
Black eyes - all behind me  
Blue tears'll never find me now  
  
It's all behind me, they'll never find me now  
Find your self-esteem and be for ever free to dream.  
  



End file.
